Flat Tyre? Keep The 4 Pillars Of Health Pumped Up

In order to be truly well, there are 4 areas of health and fitness we need to focus on: exercise, nutrition, rest and spiritual health.

The purpose of a car is to transport us from one location to the next. The proper functioning of a car is reliant on 4 healthy, undamaged tyres. No matter how strong 3 of the tyres are, the car will not perform its job unless all 4 tyres are in working order.

The purpose of our bodies is to allow us to function in the world to the best of our abilities. Much like a car, we can only fulfil our purpose if all 4 areas of our health are functioning effectively: one “flat tyre” so to speak and we will not be able to move forwards in the direction we would like to.

Let’s take a look at the 4 areas of health in more detail.

EXERCISE (movement)

We know how good it is for us, but it is difficult to keep exercise routines in your life. Here are two simple tips to making exercise happen:

Don’t make it hard: You don’t have to make exercise complicated. Get up early in the morning and walk around the block. Do 20 push-ups before bed. Every little bit counts.
Put your shoes on: The hardest thing to do is start. Once you start moving you will feel better and do more than you thought. Simply put your shoes on and walk out the door.

NUTRITION

Nutrition is not about diets or body weight, it’s about feeding your body healthy, wholesome food that will allow you to live each day feeling strong and well. Two simple tips to help keep your nutrition on track:

Focus on what you CAN eat, not what you can’t: Focus on eating foods that will fill your body with nutrients rather than depriving yourself of foods that are not good for you. Once you have enjoyed nutritious, wholesome food you will have less room for the less-than-healthy foods.
Watch your portion size: A simple tip to keep your portion sizes under control is to use smaller plates for your meals - you will eat less without even realising it. Fill most of your plate with veggies and avoid having seconds.

REST AND RECOVERY

We must take the time to rest physically and mentally. Physically your body gets stronger when it’s at rest, so you need to give it opportunity to have some down time. Two things to focus on with rest and recovery:

Make sure you are getting enough sleep: Eight hours a night is what we should aim for. Turn all screens off at a set time and go to bed.
Take time out to do things you love every week: Go for bush walks, spend time with friends, ride a bike, go to the beach, read a book. We need to rest in order to be ready to go again.

MENTAL or SPIRITUAL HEALTH

The final piece to the puzzle is our mental or spiritual health. In order to be truly well we need to have a sense of purpose. Some people find this in nature, others in music and poetry, others in their faith. Two tips to help keep your mental and spiritual health on track.

Find your core values: It can be helpful to consider your purpose. What is it that gets you up each day? Once you know what is at the heart of your world, write it down and put it where you can see it every single morning.
Surround yourself with community: People who enjoy a strong community and support network have a highly developed sense of well being. We are at our best when we can both support and be supported by others.